Ruth
by StoryWitch19
Summary: Ruth is the OC character in Erurainon's acclaimed "What if Robb Stark." I have been given the privilege of writing from her point of view.
1. Episode 1 Moon and Blood

A/N- This story is from Ruth's Point of view from"What if Robb Stark." the master of Literature Erurainon, I own nothing this is just her point of view . Erurainon has generously let me do this he feels that my skill is well matched to his, and we shall indeed see. AGAIN I OWN NOTHING! Only Erurainon holds the rights to these characters and Gorge R. R. Martin. Thanks and enjoy!

Episode I

The moons opalescence hung above me in the play of night and stars. The wagon on which I sat was rough and hard yet it was not the worse spot I had ever sat on. The moon light spilled down to the trees and brightened the path ahead. Papa sat beside me grumbling about all sorts of nonsense. I smoothed the white fabric I was clad in and mused about the silliness of white fabric, Papa had given it me as a name day present, I didn't even have to sew it. Again my eyes were drawn up to the moon, yet before they could see its bright face a flicker of something on the road caught my eye, I stiffened and slowly slipped my hand into the hidden pocket and grasped the blade hidden therein. A haggard man looked at me. He was surely moon struck; he looked as though time and the hand of those who made war in the land had fallen hard upon him. I could spy the gleam in his eye that I well-remembered. The man bowed to me, I smiled but tried to hide it. Papa stopped the cart. The tired horses put their heads down even further looking to mayhap find feed. I kept on staring at his eyes, they were the color of blue skies before a storm, the pain that I found in them made me feel for him. What life had he fallen from? Papa asked after the man. I loved his kindness even if it might be towards a man who might be the enemy or a friend. We had been on the run too and in a way still were. Like, Papa says you can never stay in one place if you are a fugitive. I was not naive about the way our world worked, I knew what war was, I knew the heart wrench of one you would die for leaving this world spilling their last teardrops of blood. I knew the fire of hate, and anger that can consume a person and drive them to do things unspeakable. This man looked like he had recently been wounded, and that wounds still haunted him not just of the flesh but of spirit and heart.

"Yes," the man responded to Ned's question.

"What is your name?" I asked my curiosity was peaked.

"Nathan," He said, though I saw a little flinch as though the name hurt him, or a falsehood, the secretive part of my mind inserted. "I was a farmer … A farmer from away North. My lands … and wife were lost in the raids that followed. I am all that is left of my house," I looked directly into his blue eyes and something in me said he was telling the truth if not the whole of it. I nodded to myself. I decided that helping this bewoewed fellow would not kill me or my father.

"I'm very sorry for you Nathan," I sighed and stepped to take his hand, it was tough with calluses and I knew he could wield a sword, or any other weapon better than some of the men in Mullburrow. "My name is Ruth and this is my father Ned. We too were farmers. We own a shop in the village. You are welcome to stay the night if you like." I knew the road was not a comfortable nor warm place to sleep unless at high summer and that had not been for years, rumors of winter had been spreading and already a year of fall and been seen. The land was being bathed in red while the cold approached and those phantom horrors who came with it. I shivered a little and jerked my thoughts to warmer climes. As I spoke my father's name Nathan's face turned white under the tan and he stiffened. I worried at him and his pale face.

"What is it lad?" Papa asked.

"It's just….I had a father called Ned once.."

"Where is he now?"

"I thank the God's," He said with much more warmth in his voice, he still clasped my hand I did not mind in the least it had been a while since I had male attention. "He's dead … Was the first among us to go." So that meant he had been killed.

Again my heart went out to him. My mother had been slaughtered by the king's bastard soldiers, I felt the rage of it boil in my depths but cooled it immediately.

"Did you love him?" I murmured, starting to lead him to our cart and I smiled hoping to get him to talk some more. I also smiled at him because he most likely had not glimpsed a friendly face very often.

Nathan looked down at his boots and answered, "Yes, More than any other man." I could still remember my mother brushing my hair before she went to the red house, the both of us reading by fire's glow. She had barrowed books from the traveling peddlers, those mornings and evenings where a glow in my mind of times hither unreached now. I also felt the stab of sorrow that still came from those memories. I felt my good humor slip a bit and firmly tucked it into place. While I was dealing with my emotions I could hear Ned say something to Nathan. I needed to get out of the turmoil of my emotions.

"My mother died when I was still a child," I said keeping the emotions out of my voice. "I know what it is like to lose family." Silence rained for a moment and then Papa broke in with his gruff way of breaking the tension.

"We've done our best to hold up," Ned explained climbing back onto the cart. "But you know … It's never quite the same. Elora was fond of guests, and we have never broken tradition. It's time to leave the wild. You'll die if you stay out here too long. There are worse things than wolves in the night."

Nathan chuckled darkly as he got into the back of the cart and sat amongst the crates and barrels. "Believe me Ned, I know."

We passed most of the way to Mullburrow in peaceful silence. I had to help father tend the horses and keep the old cart on her feet. The road had grown harsh over the years. I could remember how nice the path had been before the war. I also remembered coming to Mullburrow it was years ago when I was not a woman but a childling and half mad with grief and horror. I can still remember the bodies strewn like so many rag dolls along the way. I saw their eyes slowly turn from marble to a sticky jelliton the faces being ate by carrion and the smell of rotting flesh and blood prevailed. Now it was here again bodies fertilized the farmer's fields, blood ran red wine through once crystalline waters the screams of men in the throes of deaths cold hand where all the songs being sung in the land. Even though my thoughts where morbid and bleak I still smiled and looked back at the stray we had picked up. Nathan was also brooding it seemed. I still hoped that one day soon the land would be at peace, well as much of a peace that can be held with men. I had an inkling that this fellow might help. He seemed to need us as much as we might need him.

A/N: Again this is Ruth's point of view from "What if Robb Stark" None of the character's nor plot is mine, I own naught but Ruth's musings behind her actions and thoughts.


	2. Episode 1 part 2 home coming and Dreams

A/N: Again this is from Ruth's point of view it indeed might be different then what John wants but it is indeed what I feel Ruth would say. I know this because I understand her thoughts why she does things. Yes she is the soul of kindness but she still has anger and passion and is still an unperfected person. Thank you for your reviews I appreciate the help. This is from Ruth's point of view written as how I see it. If any have issue bring it up with John he was fine with this.

Episode 1 part 2.

The night's glib eye kept itself firmly planted on our small band as we came out of the forest and into the flat land that served for battle plains in war time. The paths that twined round the tall steep hill showed dim in the night. The barrows that lay at its base gave me shivers and I saw my mother's again the bitterness rose and I pushed it back. In the mad kings time the field had been ripe with hillocks of dead lads with their pinched faces. They and their father's had been scythed like wheat for the harvest. The dark mound was raised for them and now they lay silent and otherworldly in the pale moons light. The pile that was Mullburrow twinkled out at me. I sighed a little for home.

Soon our cart drew neigh to the gate that stood agar it was coated in rust that shown red in the light cast by the many houses and lanterns hung about on the streets. The guards were off drinking but I knew that someone was keeping an eye on the opening. The cart rolled onto the marbled streets I saw the familiar faces of the Old Gods and smiled at the familiarity. We passed the armory, and other shops the peace of Mullburrow settled over me once again.

"This can't be real. Tywin would sack this place in an instant if he knew it was here" Nathan marveled I remember how I felt when we first arrived it was like dying and ending up in paradise.

"But he doesn't," Papa laughed helping Nathan off the back of the cart. "He thinks we're just another port village. What he doesn't know is that we've been trading with the outside for years …"

"We're small enough to go overlooked, but large enough to govern our own affairs," I explained with a smile and as I brushed my hair out a little to smooth it back out of my way. "To be frankly honest, I've never seen a map of the entire vale." It was true it was as if Mullburrow was a country in its own right.

"But surely the local lords demand tribute," I shook my head did he not yet understand that it was war and no one truly cared about taxes, indeed if it was not war time then we would give out a little and the lord would not know the difference like most high born men they cared for naught but drinking and fucking whores, oh and producing the next bastard who would do the same. I smiled at the irony. I came back to hear my father give reply to Nathan's silly question.

"No," Ned briskly laughed. "They're too busy killing each other. Sure some of the Lords forced us to pay a little here and there before. But the crone Walder is losing his mind, and the Lannisters don't know what they're doing."

"They never have," I spat back darting towards the door that belonged to us. "Robb Stark was a fool, but he was our fool I tell you and a lot better than those rich bastards." I snorted with derision.

"And how was Robb Stark a fool," I chuckled a bit under my breath. How was Robb Stark not a fool?

"O that's no mystery," I outright giggled this time for his ignorance. I pushed our door open and it gave way with a suddenness that surprised me a little. "He married that poor lass when he could have won the war a rich man."

"What about love, I heard that he fell for her and couldn't give her up." He seemed a bit put off.

"O is that so now? Well I guess even kings have feelings." I huffed a bit put off myself now and showed it a bit.

"So it seems, so it seems." He muttered. Kings had very little right to feelings if they could slaughter men and still sleep at night. I understood if it was for land and liberty but casual slaughter for fun? No they did not deserve to feel and have love. While these thoughts swirled around in my head I busied myself getting bread and ale onto the table and helping Papa with the goods we had brought home. Nathan seemed to still and look hard at Ned and I. He looked like the wolf Papa had shot last winter, Leary and looking for any sign of danger. I smiled putting all the warmth and hospitality I could into it. I knew what he was feeling. I handed him a whole loaf of bread while father assured him that we weren't spies, or out to harm him. I assured him that Papa was not some mercenary. In all I think we calmed him down nicely as we tucked into dinner. We spoke of war and of the enemy and the Starks. I felt that Nathan lied on a accounts but did not wish to press him further. I knew I did touch a sour spot when speaking of the young Wolf's lady queen. I also know that Nathan struck a tension in Papa when he talked about the hand and how Ned Stark had died being in that position. I think Nathan came to realize that Ned was not my birth father. I did not wish to speak on that subject so I let it lay for now.

The dream came again like it did most nights I was held safe and warm and then the fleeing and Ned with us, we were being chased like peasants through the countryside. I did understand what Ned had done and what my mother had done. I was afraid so, so afraid. We were found out and Ned pulled me safe away but not mother,

"No, we must return for her." I screamed at the man who loved my mother and me so dearly.

"We will find her she will go and hide like as we must do now, hurry." I scrambled on ever looking back waiting to hear her feet behind us. We waited until twilight and went back but we found her far too late.

"No, no, mother, no." I screamed to the night not caring who could hear hot tears coursed down my scratched cheeks, I looked at Ned he was mad with grief and anger.

My mother was pinned to a tree by a spear she had been cut and tortured her beautiful eyes where open and glazed. They had obviously raped her, for all her clothes where off blood and the coating of white on her thighs where all the raiment the she had been allowed on her execution, and carved on her bare chest was Whore. We were ushered away by those who had helped us so far, they took down her body and wrapped it. The pain and the anger came again and again. I could barely breathe.

Then I woke in the chill morning air and wept as I oft did after the dream. After that night I had never seen Ned cry again. I had made sure to weep my sorrows out in privacy. I cleansed my tear leavings in the cold water and prepared for the day. I heard stirrings from across the hall in Nathan's room. I decided it was high time I stop sorrowing and see if he wanted anything. I entered his room carefully and sat at a low stool by his bed he was yet dreaming and I saw the tension and fear writ plain as morning on his face. He started to stir again.

"You are afraid Nathan," I said softly," I heard you get up and thought I'd see if you need anything."

"I'm fine," he said gruffly I noted a flicker of pain and there was sorrow too. So I was not the only one plagued by night ghosts.

"I already know you better than that," I said warmly tapping him on the shoulder. "Tell me; they won't find you." I knew they might but mother always said bottling up emotions is like poison for the brain. I indeed felt for him. Knowing in my own right what keeping it in did to a person.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he grunted shifting away from my touch. "I'm not running from anything." I chuckled softly.

"We're all running from something," I laughed again shaking my head. "That's the nature of living, especially during wartime."

"Who are you?" He asked.

"You tell me." I asked saucily I shrugged. "You, yourself and homeless."

"I don't know, not anymore…. Not since…." I wanted to know what that was leading to.

"You're not the only one." I smirked in rye amusement who knew these days. I too wondered who I was wanting to figure out why certain people died and others lived, those who had blood on their hands and yet slept soundly at night.

"If I stay here and they find me we'll both die," I wanted to tell him that if he were to leave they would find me and Ned and wewould die anyway.

"Who says they haven't stopped searching," I whispered wishing that was so but why not pretend for this little time. "Who says they still care …" I knew otherwise.

"Maybe," he sighed. "But I doubt it." I agreed with him. It was still nice to think they had stopped looking.

"Then you can't help it, can you," I said in a no nonsense way. "But don't you want to build something before you go?" I know what Ned and I had built, a family and there was friends to a community of love and kindness. Not all got along but when it came to the bone of the matter it was there steady and strong.

"I once had a home," I knew what he must be feeling I saw the anguish and sorrow in his eyes. "I once even had a wife … I don't want to lose that again … Not because of me." For the longest time I blamed myself for not going back to my mother, the guilt was its own brand of pain I felt I deserved death not her. I felt I had betrayed my own flesh and kin my home, and my dear mother.

"But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try," I said with furver it was the worst thing one could do to deny the heart love and the spirit kindness.

"The way you talk about it you make it seem like the easiest thing in the world," he said softly bowing his dark head. I knew it was not easy but nothing worth having was.

"Life is best when you love," I smiled and chuckled to relieve the tension and sorrow.

"Alright … alright." He threw his hands up in defeat. "I'll stay …" I gave him my best smile, I would see to it that he would never lack for anything here.

"I knew you would," I smiled and huffed as I tugged on one of his bare feet. "Now come … Its time we woke papa." I was glad he had decided to stay awhile with us. It was time Ned had another man about and time for Nathan to feel safe. I smiled and hoped that all would be well soon. Oh how wrong I was this man who I was starting to very much like would be my only pillar in days to come. The hell that was this war was far from over. Yet for now all was well. Iwas the calm before the storm.

A/N: The quotations' I have taken directly from the text "What if Robb Stark," to be able to make the parallel as accurate as possible this is all done by the consent of Mr. John Evans, thank you for your rime and reviews please keep them coming.


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